So Over Rover 💀

Carley Crawford
Jul 22
3 min read

🐾 A Vet Tech’s Eye-Opening Truth About Gig Pet Sitters

Why trusting an app with your pet’s life may be the riskiest decision you’ll ever make—and what you should do instead.

By: Carley-Vet Tech and founder of Wise Wags LLC

🚨 Real Talk: This Isn’t Just a Blog. It’s a Warning.

Before founding Wise Wags LLC, I worked as a veterinary technician for nearly a decade. I saw many heartbreaking cases—but the most devastating ones weren’t caused by illness or old age.

They were caused by unqualified pet sitters hired through apps like Rover.

Yes, that Rover. The one advertised as an easy, affordable, trustworthy way to find pet care.

Behind the convenience is a dangerous truth: Rover sitters are not required to be trained, certified, or even vetted beyond a basic background check—and that lack of oversight can be fatal.

📉 Case #1: Almost Buried Alive

One morning, a Rover pet sitter casually brought in the lifeless body of a diabetic cat, claiming it had died overnight. She said she didn’t want to “disturb anyone after hours” and waited until morning to deliver the remains.

But when the vet took the cat to the back, we made a shocking discovery—it was still alive. The cat had slipped into a hypoglycemic crisis caused by an overdose of insulin. After pressing for details, we learned the sitter had been giving 20 units of insulin instead of 2. That’s a tenfold overdose. We were able to save the cat with emergency glucose therapy, but it was a miracle.

Had she waited another hour, we wouldn’t be telling this story.

🌡️ Case #2: Walked to Death

Another case involved a Rover sitter who took a dog on a 3-mile walk in 98-degree heat. The dog collapsed from heat stroke. Instead of recognizing this as a medical emergency, she walked the unconscious dog to our clinic and said, “I think he’s just tired.”

He wasn’t. He was dead.

Then she had the audacity to ask, “Can you tell the owner for me? I don’t know how to say it.”

Shameful. Heartbreaking. Avoidable.

📊 Let’s Talk Facts

You don’t have to take just my word for it—Rover’s track record has been under scrutiny for years:

- Rover does not require sitters to have pet care certifications.
- Background checks are minimal and not comprehensive.
- In 2023, Rover faced multiple lawsuits from grieving pet parents whose animals were injured, lost, or died under sitter care.
- According to a 2022 independent consumer report, over 500 complaints of neglect or mistreatment were filed within a single year on major gig-based pet platforms.

❓ Thoughtful Questions Worth Asking

Isn’t it convenient to use Rover for last-minute care?

A: Convenience means nothing when your pet’s life is on the line. Would you hire a babysitter for your child based on a 4-star app review and no references? Pets deserve the same level of care.

Are all Rover sitters bad?

A: Not at all. But the platform doesn’t require professional training, vetting, or oversight. It’s a roll of the dice, and sometimes that gamble costs a life.

What should I look for in a professional pet sitter?

✅ Local, verifiable references

✅ Bonded and insured for liability

✅ Emergency medical training

✅ Pet CPR certification

✅ Clear communication and check-ins

✅ Transparent rates and policies

💡 Why Wise Wags LLC Is Different

At Wise Wags LLC, we were born out of these painful experiences. We knew the pet care industry needed higher standards, and we stepped up to meet them.

Here’s what you get with us: